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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. roll — a list
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stem — to come from
  19. saw — the tool
  20. court — for sport
  21. toast — bread
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — a match
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com